Epsilon rapidly intensifies from tropical storm to Category 3 hurricane in a day
After Hurricane Epsilon saw rapid intensification into a Category 3 storm, Bermuda was forecast to see its effects early Thursday before the hurricane comes close to the island that night.
“Epsilon has continued to defy expectations,” forecasters wrote.
As of 11 p.m., the storm was moving west-northwest at 8 mph and was about 310 miles southeast of Bermuda, with maximum sustained winds at 115 mph and higher gusts, according to the National Hurricane Center. Bermuda, where tropical storm conditions are expected to begin Wednesday night, is under a tropical storm warning.
Epsilon is large — with hurricane-force winds extending 25 miles out from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extending up to 345 miles from the center, mainly to the north.
When will Hurricane Epsilon near Bermuda?
The center of Epsilon is forecast to make its closest approach to Bermuda, east of the island, on Thursday evening. The storm is expected to be a strong Category 3 hurricane at that time with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.
The hurricane is not a threat to the United States, although dangerous surf and rip current conditions are expected to spread to portions of the east coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada during the next couple of days, forecasters said.
Epsilon, the 26th named storm of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season, would be the third hurricane to pass near or over Bermuda this season. It’s the fourth major storm of the season.
After Epsilon passes Bermuda, forecasters say it will accelerate northeast toward the North Atlantic, away from any land. It will eventually merge with a cold front and become extra-tropical, although it will likely still remain a powerful cyclone.
With over a month to go until hurricane season ends on Nov. 30, the 2020 hurricane season is also approaching the 2005 record of 28 named storms.
This story was originally published October 21, 2020 at 7:04 AM.
